


City Lights and Coffee Nights

by DeeTheTeaDrinkingDragon, Piecesofarose, Sugarssaur1004



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Coffeeshop AU, Fluff, Gen, Modern AU, Some very silly humour on the way too, Very soft and very sweet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeeTheTeaDrinkingDragon/pseuds/DeeTheTeaDrinkingDragon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piecesofarose/pseuds/Piecesofarose, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sugarssaur1004/pseuds/Sugarssaur1004
Summary: Welcome to the City.A wonderful, magical place split into various districts, home to all manor or humans, elves, and dragons alike. Might we interest you in the business adventures of the great Avizandium Industries?Or perhaps you might like to try a coffee at the Katolis Castle café? There's something here for everyone here!---A collection of little Modern!AU oneshots by me (Dee) Sugarssaur (Jade) and Piecesofarose (Dani)!
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), TBA - Relationship
Comments: 21
Kudos: 147





	City Lights and Coffee Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Winter Shift is always so cold and dark at the Katolis Café. When Callum gets stranded with no safe way home, he's offered a lift from Rayla.

Winter shifts at the café were always such a pain.

The hours were still the same, and yet it always felt so much longer, it was barely brightening when Callum got in to open up, and it was pitch black by the time he left. There were few highlights to his day, whether it be the interesting stories of customers, or the regular visits of his new regular friend Rayla, and it was those moments he clung to dearly to help him get through the day.

Rayla was here now.

He was acutely aware of that. She was sitting in her usual spot by the window decked out in the leather she wore when she was out and about on her moped. If it hadn’t been so busy he’d have happily strolled over for a chat, but it was always frenzied at this time of day, with everyone bustling in to get out of the cold.

He was rushing about in circles for almost an hour to keep on top of it, and it wasn’t until he was back behind the counter he allowed himself to sigh and catch his breath.

“Busy day, huh.” It was her standing there, slightly aside so she wasn’t being obstructive. She offered him a sympathetic grin.

“Gods, you have no idea. Do you have the time?”

“It’s 2:30. Don’t worry, you’re past the busiest bit, from what I’ve learnt coming here.”

He smiled weakly at her. “You after a refill?”

“No, I was just heading out. I uh-” She paused, suddenly uncharacteristically unsure of herself. She glanced down nervously, then back up to meet his eye. “Are you gonna be able to get home safely tonight?”

“Huh?” Well that caught him off-guard. “What do you mean?”

“Well it’s just, it’s starting to get really dark now. And I know have to cut through the Skywing district to get here… I dunno.”

“Oh! Rayla that’s so sweet of you to worry, but I have a bus pass, it’s okay!”

“Callum… the buses aren’t running today, remember? They’re doing a bunch of road work for the next couple weeks.”

Callum faltered. “Oh… I… I forgot about that.”

The concern grew on her face now. “Callum… I can give you a lift home on my bike if you want.”

“What? No, no, you don’t have to do that, I live so far out of your way-”

“It’s fine.” She waved him off with a gentle smile. “I’d just… feel better knowing you got home safe. That’s all.”

“O-Oh.” Callum managed, his heart stuttering. “I… Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yeah, your shift ends at 5 today, right?”

“Mhm.”

“Cool. I’ll be here about 4:45, okay?”

“Okay!” He grinned, and she smiled that soft little fond smile she often gave him just lately.

“Alright. See you in a bit then.” As she turned, she gave him a little wink and a casual wave, before heading out the door. Callum’s eyes lingered on the frame with a little sigh, even as he meandered towards a customer flagging him down. He hardly registered himself refilling their glass out of instinct until;

“Um, sir? Sir. _Sir!_ Sir you’re _spilling-!”_

“Huh? Oh!” Callum squawked in alarm, yanking back the jug of water. The poor customer stared at him concerned, holding the overflowing glass of water as it puddled, creeping outwards over the table. “I’m so sorry! Let me go get something to mop this up-!”

\---

4:45 couldn’t come soon enough. The busy day was lulling into a slow sleepy afternoon, the sun not long having disappeared over the city horizon. With little to occupy himself with, his anxiety rattled in his brain.

 _‘She won’t stand me up, will she?’_ He thought as the clock crept to 4:42. _‘Gods, I really hope she doesn’t, I don’t want to have to walk home through Skywing territory in the dark.’_

The clock ticked over to 4:46 and his heart did nervous flutters. As he wiped down tables his eyes flicked constantly, desperately to the door, willing her to appear.

4:47.

4:48.

4:49-

_Ding._

The bell on the door chimed and his face lit up. “Rayla!” Her name dropped from his lips without thinking, his voice warm and relieved. Her face was hard for a moment as she stared irately at her watch, but the second her eye met his, her face melted and she gave him a sad, apologetic smile.

“Hey! I’m so sorry I’m a little late, the traffic was a _nightmare_ , and then I got a puncture a few minutes away.”

“It’s okay! Oh, a puncture?”

“Yeah,” She sighed. “It’s alright, I have a repair kit with me. It might just take a minute once we’re outside.”

“It’s alright.” He smiled. “I’m in no rush or anything.”

She relaxed, leaning against the counter. “Well that’s a relief since we’ll probably have to take the long way to yours to avoid the roadwork.”

After his shift came to a close and he locked up, Callum scurried off to get changed and grab his belongings from his locker, and he met Rayla around the side of the building where she was already busying herself with repairing the offending tyre.

“Is it bad?” He asked, walking over. She grunted and shrugged.

“Not as bad as it could’ve been.”

“Can I help at all?”

She smiled up at him. “Nah, it’s alright, this’ll only take a moment.”

It wasn’t long before she seemed content and she stood, stretched and smiled back at him. “Alright, sorry for the delay. So where’re we heading? It’s in the Katolis suburbs somewhere right?”

“O-Oh, yeah. Do you know Castle Lane?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s near the top of the hill, number 72.”

“Right then!” She turned to her bike and rummaged around, throwing something rather large over her shoulder. “Catch!”

With Callum’s terrible hand-eye co-ordination it nearly hit him in the head, and by some miracle landed in his panicked arms. It took him a few seconds to register what it was. A helmet. She had slipped her own on, her face now obscured all but her eyes as she hadn’t flipped the visor down yet, and hopped onto the moped, staring at him. Waiting.

“Well?” Her voice came out muffled.

“Oh!” He slipped it on, a rather large fit then joined Rayla on the bike. “U-Um, Rayla?”

“Hm?”

“Where… where do I um…”

“You can hold onto me, it’s fine.” She laughed. “I don’t want you falling off and getting hurt.”

He did so a little sheepishly, suddenly highly aware of what little space was between them. But Rayla seemed unfazed, starting the engine and off they went, speeding down the road.

Rayla didn’t take the same roads as the bus, or the ones he took when he walked to and from work. No, it seemed she really was taking him the long way, avoiding the city centre and taking him way out into the Xadian suburbs.

…She was taking him the scenic route.

Callum would have never _dared_ set foot in these parts of the city at night. Though elves and humans lived in relative peace, tensions were still high, and muggings weren’t uncommon for elves or humans if you stepped into a different residential territory. But he was here with Rayla. And that made him feel… safe. Safe enough to appreciate just how beautiful it was here in the evening. There was a glow to it all, it truly was rich with magic here, he could feel it radiating all around him.

He could just make out her voice shouting over the engine. “You alright back there?”

“Yeah! I’m just taking in the scenery!” He called back. “It’s beautiful.”

“Isn’t it? This is an Earthblood district. I love driving through here at night. Check out the trees, Callum, do you see the lanterns? They’re enchanted.”

 _Enchanted and enchanting_ , Callum thought, watching as the lights in the trees glowed warmly in the dark, floating like fireflies of all different colours of the rainbow. He relaxed, and before he knew it his arms had wrapped gingerly around her, his chest flush with her back. He felt a chuckle vibrate through her back, and fought back the giddiness in his heart as he rested his head, or well, at least the helmet, between her shoulders.

“You falling asleep on me or something?” She teased. “If you do you’ll miss the best part.”

“Best part?”

“You’ll see.”

Well now she had piqued his curiosity. They drove silently for a good five minutes, Callum watching the world go by in a colourful blur, before she began to slow to a halt.

“Here.” She kicked out the stand and then turned slightly to look over her shoulder at him, pulling off her helmet. “Look.” She pointed out and Callum gasped, his eyes glistening as they reflected what he saw.

She had stopped them on a ledge overlooking the cityscape. It stretched as far as the eye could see, all of it, Callum could see and make out every district, every residential area, every park, shopping centre…

“Nice, isn’t it?” She smiled softly. “I like to stop here as I drive past sometimes. There’s something about… seeing it all, the bigger picture. Like you can see the divisions where the Xadian districts meet the Pentarchy ones, right? But when you see the whole thing _together_ … it’s just one big city. It makes all the petty little conflicts seem so silly, don’t you think?” She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, listen to me, I’m getting sentimental. You’re rubbing off on me.”

Callum laughed at that. “Rayla, what you said is beautiful, and very true.” He gazed out over the twinkling city lights. “It’s… sad that not everyone gets along and there’s still so much division and tension everywhere in the districts. But at least in the city centre people get along. …Mostly.”

She softened. “That’s true. It’s better than it used to be. Maybe there’s some hope yet, hm?” She elbowed him gently in the ribs. “C’mon. Let’s get you home.”

\---

They drove silently the rest of the way, both quite content and relaxed in each other’s company. Perhaps, Callum thought, winter shifts wouldn’t be so bad if they always ended like this. He was almost a little disappointed when she slowed at his house and he had to let go of her.

“This the place?”

“Yes, thank you so much.” He stumbled slightly, his leg catching on the seat as he hopped over it, and he heard her chuckle fondly as she pulled her helmet back off to walk him a little way up the path. Her fingers wove almost coyly into her hair when she stopped, her eyes glancing back to her bike.

“I uh… better get back. Y’know, before my dads worry.”

“Oh… sure.”

And yet she didn’t go. At least, not right away. Rayla stood there sheepishly, staring at him like she was trying to make sense of something, fingers still twirling her hair. Callum’s own feet felt glued to the floor. Was she waiting for him to leave first? To make sure he got in okay? Well now this felt a bit awkward-

Before he knew it Rayla’s hand had found his shoulder and his breath hitched in surprise, his eyes snapping back to hers. She pulled him, or rather guided him a little closer to her, and he let her with a clumsy little stagger, confused.

“Ray-” It was all he managed before a little surprised squeak left his lips as Rayla leaned in and he felt her lips press to his cheek. It was soft, but fast, barely enough time for him to register what had happened, and she tore back quickly, whirling around before he got a chance to see her own expression.

Her ears were burning. That was the one thing he could see, bright red almost glowing in the dark. His own cheeks felt alight, the sensation of her lips lingering on his cheek like static electricity thrumming over his skin.

“See ya, Callum!” She called out without looking, her voice a little _too_ cheery, forced, as she pulled the helmet back over her head.

His own voice came out small in comparison, barely a breath on the cold winter wind. “Oh… b-bye…”

He watched her hop back onto her bike, and she turned to look at him, her expression hidden behind the visor. What was she thinking, he wanted desperately to know, as she threw him a quick peace sign before driving away. Callum couldn’t see the giddy elation and pride on her face, nor feel her pounding heart as she sped off back towards the inner city. But neither could she see him standing there, stunned and breathless, his fingers at his cheek as though hoping to preserve the feeling, the _moment_ that had just happened, as his other hand waved a weak little farewell.

Callum stood there his eyes lingering on her until she was far out of his sight, his brain stalled, lost in the moment, until his toes and fingers began to go numb. Only then did his lips split into a love-struck grin, his face and chest warm enough to distract him from the stinging cold. He nigh on pranced to the door, barely able to get his key in the door with his shaking hands, and he skipped over the threshold unable to contain the joy in his heart.

A voice snapped him out of his dreamy daze. “So… Who was that?” Ezran was kneeling on a stool by the window, his hands on the windowsill and a sly expression on his face.

“W-What? Oh, that’s Rayla. She’s uh… she’s a friend from work. Well, I mean, she doesn’t _work_ at work, she just… hangs out a lot there and-”

“Does dad know you’ve got a girlfriend?”

“Wh- What?! No! No Ezran she’s not my-!”

It was too late, with a cheeky grin, Ezran had already sprung from the stool and was bound for the living room, shouting, “Daaaad! Callum’s got a girlfriend!”

“What?” Came Harrow’s startled voice.

“No!” Callum’s voice went shrill as he sprinted in after his little brother. “It’s not like that I swear! _Ezran!_ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Coffeeshop AU? Coffeeshop AU. You can blame Suagarsaur and Piecesofarose for this. 
> 
> Anyway I hope you enjoyed it! This is gonna be a fun little side project now, a little collection of oneshots set in the city, featuring snapshots into the different lives of different characters. There maybe be some continuity so keep an eye open to see how things progress! (There'll probably be a heavy focus on Rayllum because. Well. You know me by now.) Dani and Jade are gonna be contributing to this too with their beautiful writing and art so get h y p e! 
> 
> Don't forget to leave a kudos and a comment if you're enjoying so far. Love you all! <3  
> \- Dee


End file.
